


Happiness is a Warm Puppy

by JustAndrea



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Introspection, Puppies, puppy shenanigans, s2-finale spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:02:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26617144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: It’s always good to take a break, especially during the rough times. Breaks that involve your favorite little brother and a bunch of fun, cuddly and slightly mischievous puppies? Those are even better.
Relationships: Raphael (TMNT) & Michelangelo (TMNT)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	Happiness is a Warm Puppy

**Author's Note:**

> Just some Raph and Mikey fluff that's sorta based off a realization I had about the finale, lol. Also I just love writing these two, Raph and Mikey are best turtles ^v^ Anyway, enjoy!

Go with the flow, and take things one step at a time.

That was the mindset Mikey usually went with - and for the most part, it worked well for him.

Whether it was a complex recipe, or an out-of-the-box idea for an art piece, or even fighting an enemy alongside his brothers, Mikey knew that if he just kept at it and kept moving forward, things would work out. Sometimes it was hard though, his natural instincts sometimes forcing him to go inside his shell for a quick time-out, lest he _really_ start to panic. 

But, what the box turtle sometimes lacked in courage, he more than made up for in determination and positive thinking. Maybe there were times when the next step seemed scary, but as long as he at least took that step, he knew that things would get better - especially if he had his fam by his side.

...Of course, that didn’t mean that the next step wasn’t sometimes hard, and when said step involved walking into your former underground home, it was an extra sort of hard (and pretty sucky, if he was being pretty honest).

Mikey sighed, forcing himself to continue on, hopping onto a stable beam from the second floor that may or may not have once been part of their skate ramp. Most of the big pieces of rubble had been cleaned out at this point, but there was still much to do. Things to collect and pack-up and unbury… 

Though, while the more communal rooms of the Lair such as the arcade, kitchen and TV room were completely destroyed, their rooms had been mostly left untouched, save for Donnie’s lab. (Mikey swallowed, and tried not to think about the remains of a certain drone…) At most, there was some smoke damage to their stuff and a few pieces of fallen wall or ceiling. It was enough of a lucky break for Mikey to appreciate, even if a lot of his art supplies had been ruined by the heat and the flames.

 _One step at a time…_ Shaking his head to clear it, Mikey walked into his former bedroom. With his hammock and pillows already packed up, waiting to eventually be hung once they settled into their new place, he only had his supplies, some art books, cook books, sketchbooks, and a few silly yet inspiring knick-knacks to go through and pack up.

It wasn’t the hardest chore, but it wasn’t exactly easy either, given that he’d sometimes get distracted by a memory or an item that he hadn’t seen in forever. Eventually though, Mikey had packed up a decent amount to be worth a trip back. With a ‘whup!’, he lifted both boxes up, managing to balance them perfectly in his arms. Tricky, but not impossible - though he’d have to seriously watch his step on the way out, unless he wanted to take an impromptu trip to the Hidden City.

However, as Mikey stepped out of his old room, something stopped him. The feeling was foreign yet familiar, subtle enough to send slight prickles up his shell and towards the back of his head without triggering any “DANGER” alarms in his mind. As far as he could tell at the moment, nothing specific had made him pause - no sudden or unfamiliar sights or sounds or even smells. It was just… a vibe.

But hey, relying on his instincts and sometimes scarily accurate intuition was another thing that usually worked well in guiding his decisions. So, he set down his boxes and began to walk around their damaged home, carefully avoiding any rough spots that could hurt his feet or broken sewer pipes that dripped dirty water.

The first floor was a lot more hazardous, even with the path of thick vines and small pieces of plywood Splinter and Draxum had laid down. Still, not a problem for an acrobatic turtle like him. 

Mikey easily made his way down, sparing a glance at a couple of the other rooms before making his way over to what normally would have been a red-tinted room. As he got closer, he could see a large silhouette sitting on the floor, their head resting on their knees while a resting cell phone provided light. It made sense - being on the first floor, Raph’s room received just a bit more collateral damage, and his favorite red lantern hadn’t survived the fight.

“Raph?” Mikey said, his voice soft.

Still, Raph jolted a little, blinking a few times as he looked over at his youngest brother. With his head up, Mikey could now see one of Raph’s teddies in his arms. “Oh, uh, hey Mike,” Raph nodded, “When- When’d you get here?”

“A while ago,” Mikey answered. He took a seat next to Raph, leaning his head on his shoulder. “You good?”

“Yeah,” Raph smiled, putting an arm around him, “Raph’s good, just… No offense to Dad, but those mats he got us? I dunno how anyone can sleep on ‘em.”

“Heh, you’re tellin’ me. Though-” Mikey glanced up at Raph’s bed, the blankets still covered in a thick layer of dust and a bit of ash while the chains that held it up managed to remain strong, “Out of all of us, I would’a thought you’d have the least amount of adjusting to do.”

“Hey, I may sleep on a board, but I still have an actual mattress,” Raph lightly argued, “Honestly, I don’t know how you can sleep without one.”

Mikey simply shrugged. “I like to rock myself to sleep.” Raph thought about that for a moment before nodding. He could briefly remember Splinter rocking Mikey to sleep the most, back when they were all still in that transitional phase between using their rat dad as one giant pillow and sleeping in their own rooms. 

“So, you finally started packing up your stuff?” Mikey asked, changing the subject. He sure hoped that was the case, considering Raph had spent the first week of Operation: Move helping Donnie unbury his lab and helping their dad pack up the usable tools and edible food that was left in the kitchen.

“Yep,” Raph sighed, his arm that wasn’t around Mikey taking a moment to hug his plushie closer to his chest. It was going to be a pain getting all his weights packed up, even with the extra Raph hands. Duplication and Aura Clone-Jutsu was cool and all, but trying to keep multiple versions of himself together outside of a quick and sporadic battle was still a tiring process for him. Not to mention his teddy collection, his records and record player (which he hoped wasn’t damaged), and any clothes he could still salvage…

The snapper scowled slightly, rubbing his eyes. Geez, he was tired just thinking about it... He then felt someone poke him in the bicep. When he turned to give Mikey an annoyed look, his brother in orange just smiled - and just like that, Raph found himself smiling back.

“If you need to talk, Dr. Feelings can make a house call,” Mikey told him.

“Nah, nah, it’s nothing like that, really.” Mikey stared at him, and Raph gave a small huff. “Honest, cross my heart! I mean - fine, yeah, I’m going through some stuff, but it’s literally the same stuff you and Donnie and Leo and Pops are goin’ through.” 

He glanced down at the floor, trying not to wince at the new cracks in the concrete. “I’m sad about havin’ to move, sad about the things we lost, and I’m a little tired ‘cause of the whole moving thing too, and… a part of me is still thinkin’ about the stuff that could’ve went wrong down at the Crying Titan,” he confessed, “But we’re ALL dealing with that kind of stuff, and I’m working through it just fine BECAUSE I know I’m not the only one going through it. I’ll be fine, Mikey. Really.”

“...” Mikey smiled, and gave his biggest brother the biggest hug he could muster. “Alright… Just don’t forget-”

 _“Anatawa hitorijanai,”_ they said in unison, which made Raph chuckle as he returned the hug, “I know… And trust me, if I need to talk or vent, you’ll be one of the first people I call, kay?” Mikey nodded, the two of them holding each other for just a few moments longer before letting go. “...Hey, you came here ‘cause you were packing up some things too, right? You need help takin’ stuff back?”

Mikey didn’t need any help, he knew he could handle the two boxes just fine. But even so- “Yeah, that’d be great, actually. Thanks, Raph.”

“Yep,” Raph smiled as he stood up, tucking his old teddy underneath his arm, “No problem, big man.”

The walk back to their new, in-progress home was long but easy enough, with the two brothers taking the time to chat about various things, from their exciting new frenemy-turned-teammate (“I knew from the first time we met that Casey was gonna be a Mad Dog!” “Uh huh, and the whole ‘smash your shell into powder’ thing?” “Bad first impression.”) to what they would probably be having for supper that night (thank Pizza Supreme for frequent customer discounts).

Unfortunately, once they had actually gotten Mikey’s stuff to his new bedroom, Raph didn’t stick around for very long, not even bothering with taking a breather. He just gave Mikey another quick pat on the head, turned around, and headed back towards the old lair. Mikey grumbled a little at this, but didn’t stop him.

In a sense, his oldest brother also knew the power of moving forward. But Mikey had to wonder, was that because Raph wanted to, or because he felt like he HAD to - because it was more important to keep working and keep helping his family than to rest. Because that’s just who Raph was - protective and strong, with a heart bigger than all his muscles.

Sitting down on the cool concrete, Mikey picked up Raph’s teddy - which had been set in one of his boxes just so Raph wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally dropping or losing it. He frowned as he hugged the teddy, absentmindedly running his finger over one of the bear’s many stitches.

“I guess I can’t really blame him, though,” Mikey mumbled. He knew that Raph wanted their new home to be finished and for things to get back to normal just as much as the rest of them did. It was just that Raph was more willing to push through the fatigue to do so. He had seen a bit of this with Splinter and Donnie too, but they at least still remembered to take a nap every once in a while (even if they sometimes had to literally carry Donnie to his sleeping mat).

Raph meanwhile wasn’t even giving himself that, but at the very least, Mikey could feel thankful that he wasn’t totally stressing himself out again, the lessons learned a week or so ago still sticking. Truth be told, it had been… kind of scary for him, seeing Raph just break down like that. He had seen Raph frustrated and pissed off before, sure, but the extra anger, the snapping, the anxiety- 

_“Everyone's depending on me! Why can't I do this...? I'm failing you…”_

He could still hear his big bro’s sobs, and it just about broke Mikey’s heart. “Poor guy…” he sniffled. Raph really had thought that the whole fate of their family and the world was on his shoulders. “Didn’t even give himself a moment to cuddle Todd’s puppies… And Raph LOVES cuddling cute animals!”

Sad thoughts aside, in that moment, Mikey was suddenly hit with an idea - and the more he thought about it, the more he smiled. “Are you thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” he asked the bear. Of course, Raph’s teddy stayed silent, but Mikey knew that if it could agree with him, it definitely would.

Yes, this would be JUST what Raph needed…

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

In the dark, Raph’s eyes bore holes into the dark, grey, skylight-free atrium of their new home. He held back a groan, if only because he didn’t want to wake his brothers that were still sleeping. He did however allow himself to yawn as he finally sat up.

He had worked hard all that afternoon, managing to get most of his stuff packed up and taken to their new home before crashing… and he STILL only managed to get about five or six hours of sleep. ‘Ah well,’ he thought to himself, ‘at least it won’t take me long to get started again…’ There was still work to do, and he couldn’t slack off just because he was tired-

 _*growwwwwwwwl*_ ...But he WAS going to take a moment to have some breakfast.

So, Raph headed to the space that would soon be their kitchen. Donnie was still working on getting the oven and fridge installed, as well as the plumbing they would need for a sink and the electricity they would need for lights. In the meantime, there was a frosted cherry Pop-Tart with Raph’s name on it! (Literally, he wrote his name on the box and everything.)

Taking a seat on the floor next to a tower of boxes filled with pots and pans, Raph ripped open the package, not minding the crumbs. He picked up the first tart, and ate it in one bite.

“...Wow. You must’ve been really hungry.”

Raph sat up a little, glancing over at the doorway. Mikey was smiling back at him, his mask still off. (Raph briefly touched his cheek, and realized that he had forgotten to put his mask on too.) “Heh, nah. Well, I _am_ hungry but, it’s also just easier to eat ‘em whole.”

“Eh, fair enough.”

“So, why are you up?” Raph asked, “I didn’t wake you, did I?” Granted, it was actually pretty common to see Mikey up early most mornings, but without a way for him to actually cook breakfast…

However, if Mikey was bothered at all by this temporary hindrance, he didn’t show it. Instead, he just grabbed a pop-tart of his own from the chocolate chip box and sat down across from Raph. “Nah, just thought I’d see what you were up to before we headed out.”

Raph blinked. Out? Wait- _we?_

Mikey held back a chuckle at his spiky brother’s confusion. “We need to head up to Todd’s place for a bit.”

“Why, did you forget something the last time we were up there?” Raph asked before eating his second Pop-Tart. 

“Nope! Just thought it’d be fun,” Mikey smiled, “That, and I figured that if we were going to make you take a break, you’d want someone with you.”

“...” Raph swallowed, giving him a bit of a look. _“Mikey-”_

“We’d only be there a day so you wouldn’t even have to worry about missing much here and also Dad already said we could,” the orange turtle added quickly, flashing a grin.

“Ugh...“ Raph pinched the bridge of his nose while Mikey just giggled. He could already tell that Mikey wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Still, he had to at least try. “Mike, I already told you, I’m just a little tired. I don’t _need_ a special break or anything-”

“Who says you have to need it?” Mikey said simply, dropping all amusement, “Can’t you just enjoy it?” Raph huffed, but didn’t give an answer, instead choosing to look down at the silver wrapper still in his hand. 

Leaning forward, Mikey put his hand over his brother’s. “Like you said, things have been rough. This whole situation is just… a lot. But we’ve all been working hard to move through it, especially you! Don’t you think that work deserves a reward?”

“Hmph, don’t know what makes me so special, but…” But it did admittedly sound nice. 

Daring to glance up, Raph just about snorted when he saw the puppy-dog eyes Mikey was giving him - his little brother’s last resort. “Fine, fine,” Raph said, putting his hand over Mikey’s face and lightly shoving him back, “We can go to Todd’s, but just for one day.” No way were the two of them going to go off and enjoy a whole vacation while the rest of his family had to still pack and fix and clean.

Thankfully, that answer was good enough for Mikey - who promptly moved around Raph’s extended arm to give him a hug. Letting out a small laugh, Raph returned it for a moment before giving him a quick noogie. “Little sneak,” he grumbled, the words not having any bite to them whatsoever.

As the sun rose over the New York skyline, the streets and roads of the city still mostly deserted, the two brothers headed towards the abandoned garage structure that their family had stashed their Turtle Tank in. Of course, with just the two of them heading out, they didn’t need the whole tank. So, with a press of a button, their actual ride emerged.

Mikey smiled as he ran his hand over the custom painted metal of his Shell Hog. He was really, REALLY glad that out of everything, their awesome vehicles made it through. Practically shaking with excitement now, he hopped on. Once he felt Raph’s hands on his shoulders, Mikey kicked on the engine and drove out of there like a bat out of hell.

Even with it still being early, they stuck to side streets and neighborhoods with plenty of shadows. It was only once they were out on the highway was Raph able to start to relax. The calming pinks and oranges of the sky contrasted with the thrill of driving at such a high speed, the wind whipping at his mask tails.

It was exhilarating and freeing, but also relaxing despite the memories that still lingered, considering the last time they traveled outside the city. Being careful not to accidentally cause his brother to crash, Raph slowly sat up straighter, closing his eyes. Unable to help himself after a while, he started to grin as he breathed in the fresh morning air.

By the time they made it to Cuddle Cake Puppy Rescue, the sun had fully risen and was shining brightly down on them. Of course, Todd was already up and awake, taking the time to greet them at the rescue’s entrance. “Hey guys!” he waved, “Oh, it is just SO nice to see you again!”

“We just saw each other last week, Todd,” Raph told him, but was ignored as the capybara took them both by the hand and led them inside his little patch of land. The moment they stepped inside, a herd of excited barking puppies raced towards them.

Todd giggled. “Ooooh, looks like they’re happy to see you both too~!”

Of course, the feeling was mutual. Mikey immediately raced forward to meet the puppies halfway, practically diving into a pile of hugs and puppy kisses. Raph laughed at the sight before crouching down, not minding the still-wet grass on his knees. 

“D’awwww, hey there, little guys! How’re you doin’?” Raph asked as a trio of pups - a dachshund, a shih tzu and an exTREMELY fluffy pomeranian ran up to greet him. The pups barked in reply, hopping up on their hindlegs in an attempt to jump up on him. “Alright, alright. Raph’s got ya!” 

In one swift motion, he picked all three of them up and brought them up to his chest, allowing them to lick his face. As slightly annoying as all the drool and the occasional mask tail-pulling was, Raph couldn’t deny that being surrounded by happy and loving puppies was definitely lifting his mood. They were just so cute! 

Eventually though, the puppies started to get more squirmy than cuddly, so he gently set them down and let them run on off to wherever it was they wanted to go. “Wow, I’ve never seen Kiki and Andy so happy to see someone!” Todd commented, “And Rigby’s usually terrified of strangers! They must really like you, Raph!”

“Guess so,” Raph chuckled, taking a moment to wipe his face off, “Better than them attacking me, at least.”

“Oh, that’s happened before?”

“Well, not puppies specifically. But mystic guard dogs and teleporting dog-cat-things? Whole different story.” He sighed, a small part of him still a bit disappointed that he hadn’t gotten Mayhem to cuddle up to him yet. Oh well… At least Mayhem hadn’t scratched up his face in a while.

Sitting up, a thought came to Raph. “Hey Todd, I gotta ask- how do you find all these puppies anyway?”

“You know, it’s actually kinda funny!” Todd said, already holding back chuckles, “Originally I’d just pick up ones that shelters didn’t have enough room for. But after a while, I started noticing that strays were starting to follow me. I’d just be out walking around, doing some errands or grabbing some lunch, and then I’d turn around and- whoop, there’s another puppy!” He laughed again. “Of course, given that they had taken the time to sniff me out and find me, I couldn’t just turn the poor little guys away! So I just started taking them home with me.”

“Huh…” Though, with Todd’s niceness powers, Raph supposed that he shouldn’t be too surprised. Still- “It’s really cool of you to take all these little guys in and give ‘em a home,” he smiled.

“Aww, well, I’m more than happy to do it!” Todd told him cheerfully, “Besides, giving puppies a loving home and helping people like you and your family out is a lot better than what I used to do for a living! Heh, boy, I don’t know WHERE I’d be if I was still doing that!”

Raph paused. “...Wait, what did you used to-?”

“Oh don’t worry about it,” Todd casually replied, already waving him off.

“But-” The snapper was cut off when he felt something lightly push him forward - not hard enough to push him down, but hard enough to be noticed. Looking over his shoulder, Raph saw an adorable husky looking up at him, her paws on his shell. The black and white pupper then barked and growled as she started playfully hopping around him, her tail wagging up a storm. 

“Hmph, what you wanna tussle?” Raph asked, giving a small play-growl of his own.

The husky let out another bark as she crouched down, ready to pounce. “Heh, alright, you asked for it!” Raph told her as they started to lightly wrestle. Of course, once they started to play, it didn’t take long for other puppies to join in, but Raph didn’t mind at all!

From several feet away, Mikey smiled as he watched, and even managed to sneak a few quick pics using his phone that he was definitely going to share later. Oh yeah, this was going to be a good day.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Okay, sit! ...Siiiiiit. ...I’m not gonna throw it until you guys are all sitting!”

The puppies continued to wag their tails and playfully growl and whine at him, but they all managed to sit long enough to please their ‘coach’.

“Alright,” Raph grinned, “You guys ready for another one?” The puppies barked. “You sure, ‘cause this one’s gonna be a lot harder-” The puppies barked louder, a couple of them even standing up on their hind legs. Raph laughed. “Okay okay, I get it!” He brought his arm back, and the puppies got ready to run. “Here… we… GO!”

He threw the worn football as far as he could, and each of the puppies took off after it. Raph gave them all a five second head start before running after the ball as well. Still, for such little guys with tiny little legs, the puppies gave it their all, still having plenty of energy to spare. Not that Raph minded - he was having just as much fun!

As they neared where the ball had landed, Raph prepared to dive for it, but a fluffy looking labradoodle got out in front of him, scooping the ball up with his mouth - which meant their race had officially turned into a game of keep-away!

Raph and the other pups raced after the labradoodle, managing to corner him before he could race off towards the puppy play area and try to hide in one of the long, plastic tunnels. A few of the puppers tried their best to pull the ball out of the labradoodle’s mouth while the rest, still panting from their run, rested and waited for the next toss.

Despite being a little out of breath himself, Raph still chuckled. “You guys sure can run, huh? Okay so, that’s puppies 7 and Raph 2, but I still say I can beat you.” He tried to take the ball back, but of course that was turned into tug-a-war, which he didn’t mind playing along with. “Heh, you all definitely know how to put up a fight, though. Are you a little fighter, hm? You’re a tough guy, aren’t ya? Yes you are, yes you are~”

“Actually, I think that one’s a girl,” he heard Mikey say from behind him.

“Oh, really?” Raph looked over his shoulder curiously, still gently pulling at the football while the curly-furred pupper continued to try his- her best to keep her prize. By this point, a couple of the other pups had hopped up onto Raph’s legs and shell too, wanting to keep playing despite the snapper being briefly distracted. “The collar said Parker, but I guess that can be a girl’s name too.”

“Heh, I don’t think she minds either way, ‘s long as she can keep that ball,” Mikey smirked, “Sooo, you guys all seem like you’re having fun.”

“Yeah!” Raph grinned, “Heh, they love sports ball and rough housing almost as much as I do! They love racin’ too, and I bet I could teach ‘em to-” he yelped, feeling something tug on his mask tails. Mikey laughed as Raph plucked the husky puppy - Penny, according to her collar - off his shoulder.

“Come on, Penny, what’d Raph tell you about pullin’ on his tails, hm?” He gently ruffled the pup’s head, which made her roll onto her back as she tried to nip at his hand. Unable to stay mad, Raph wrestled a bit with her in-between giving her belly rubs. “So what have you been doing?” Raph asked, glancing back up at his brother. Last he saw, Mikey had still been in the middle of a cuddle pile.

“Well, Todd convinced me to help clean out his kitchen while all the puppies were outside,” Mikey said, slumping a little. He loved the guy, but that didn’t mean his niceness powers still weren’t a bit annoying sometimes. He then smiled. “But on the plus side, we’ve got some great options for lunch! Probably going to start cookin’ soon, actually.”

“Sweet,” Raph nodded, smiling back, “You need any help?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Mikey insisted, not at all surprised by his big bro’s offer, “Though I may need your help later.”

Now that caught Raph’s attention. “Oh? What what? Does Todd want you to help give these guys a bath or something too?”

“Heh, no, though that wouldn’t be a bad idea. These guys are even more adorable when they’re playing in water.” As if agreeing with him, Willis gave an enthusiastic bark, and Mikey didn’t hesitate to scoop the roly-poly pupper up for a hug.

“So then, what do you need my help for?” Raph asked, letting his guard down for just a second…

Mikey just smirked, giving a seemingly innocent shrug. “It’s nothin’ big.” Though, with any luck, it would still be fun.

“Then why be so secret about it?”

“I’ll let you know when it’s time. Until then, don’t worry about it!”

Raph hummed. Just what was Mikey up to now? He wasn’t as much of a prankster as Leo, so at least he didn’t have to worry about that. But then, what-?

Suddenly, his head felt bare as something jumped off him and ran off, the corner of his eye catching a flash of black, white and red. Raph squawked as the pups ran after Penny - and their newest plaything. “Hey! Give that back!” he yelled as he chased after the little thieves, hoping that his bandana didn’t get too ripped up, or too covered in drool. 

Still, even with those worries, a bit of a smile tugged at his face, a part of him still having fun with the game - until he saw a couple of the other puppies start trying to pull the mask out of Penny’s mouth. “Nonono, no tug-a-war! Just- gah, get back here!”

“Heh, nice one, Penny!” Mikey grinned, “You need any help there, Raph?”

“No! Nope, I’ve got it! Just-” Raph dived forward, but completely missed, causing him to get covered in dirt and grass stains, as well as putting him in the perfect position to get tackled by several other puppies who were more than happy to give him kisses while Penny continued to proudly trot away. 

Mikey laughed again. He felt bad for his big bro, he really did, but that didn’t mean the situation wasn’t still as hilarious as it was adorable. At the very least, he did help Raph chase after the little husky, and even managed to get the mask back without too much damage to it. Though, unfortunately, he couldn’t do much about the dampness - or the dog-breath smell. “I wonder if Todd has a washer we could use.”

“I’ll just wash it later,” Raph sighed, sticking the mask in his pocket. He looked down at the puppies, who simply looked back at him with their wide eyes. “You guys are a bunch’a troublemakers, aren’t ya?” he said, still smirking a little. The puppies just barked at him, a few of them licking at his feet and hands to try and encourage more pets and playtime - which of course, he obliged.

“Heh, well, guess I better get back to the house,” Mikey said, “Can you believe Todd has one of those old charcoal grills? I’ve always wanted to try and cook on one of those! Oh, how do you want your burger? Medium? Medium-well? Or are you a well-done type of guy?”

“Uhhhh-” Considering that they didn’t get burgers too often, and when they did it was just from a Five Guys or somewhere similar, Raph had no idea. “Just make it normal, I guess?” he shrugged, “Or whatever you think is best?”

Mikey nodded. “Medium-well, it is!” He gave a few of the puppies a few more quick pets before jogging off. Not wanting to make him or Todd come all the way out to the middle of the sanctuary just to tell him that lunch was ready, Raph followed - albeit at a slower pace.

With how much energy he had, usually becoming even MORE energetic while training or fighting, it wasn’t always easy to tire Raph out. But after a couple hours of running around and only a semi-decent sleep the night before, the snapper was definitely starting to feel some exhaustion. Satisfying exhaustion, but exhaustion nonetheless.

The puppies seemed to feel the same way, with them either sitting or laying down on the grass once they made it to the small picnic area by Todd’s home. Raph smiled a little at them. “Heh, yeah, I bet that does feel good…” Grass, as simple as it was, what somewhat of a luxury, given their usual city environment. Even when they did go to a park, it was usually in the middle of the night, and no one wanted to stretch out on cold grass that was just starting to get dew on it.

By contrast, this grass was soft and warm, with the sun - now hanging in the middle of the sky - making the idea stretching out on the ground all the more appealing. So, that’s just what Raph did.

He sighed, closing his eyes as he laid on his back. He could feel a few of the puppies come up to him, either laying down beside him or getting up on his chest. Of course, Raph didn’t mind at all. If anything, it just made him all the more relaxed. He was just resting his eyes though, just for a minute…

“...Well, guess we’ll have to wrap up a few burgers for later,” Mikey said, though he was far from annoyed by this - even with Raph’s snoring.

“You sure we shouldn’t wake him up?” Todd asked as Mikey started to walk back over to the grill, the burger-filled plate still in hand, “He’s probably hungry after all that playing.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’ll have plenty to eat later,” the orange turtle assured, still smiling, “and trust me, the guy could definitely use a nap.” Though, while he was glad Raph was finally getting some actual rest, Mikey really hoped it didn’t end up being an all-day one.

Thankfully, by the time Raph woke up, the sun was still up - albeit it had gotten a lot lower, causing the sky to once again take on a orange-pinkish tone. For a moment, he nearly panicked, thinking he had slept all day and night. However, one glance at his phone confirmed that it was only a little after 6:30 p.m.

“Man,” he mumbled as he sat up, being sure to mind his furry little sleeping buddies still on him, “Haven’t napped like that since I was ten…” Still, he couldn’t deny that the nap had been nice.

“Well hey there, sleepy head!” he heard Todd say. Raph glanced over towards the picnic table, where Todd and Mikey were sitting with collars, craft supplies and a pitcher of lemonade between them.

“Hey,” Raph mumbled, yawning widely, “What are you guys doin’?”

“Bedazzling collars,” Mikey said, holding up a green collar that was now covered in plastic diamonds and emeralds. “We were making braided ones too, but we ran out of yarn an hour or so ago.”

“Ah, cool,” Raph nodded. He gave another yawn as he stood up, taking a seat at the table. Todd had a glass of lemonade in front of him almost instantly. When Mikey asked if he was ready to eat, he nodded. Even if he didn’t really notice his hunger at the moment, he knew he’d definitely feel it once he was fully awake. “Sorry for dozin’ off, by the way.”

“Why?” Mikey asked from the grill, “What’s there to apologize for?” Raph shrugged, not really having an answer for that.

“Nothing wrong with a cat-nap now and then,” Todd told him, giggling slightly at the phrase, “Even if you’re doing it with dogs. I know I’ve gotten wrapped up in more than a few, and after everything you all had to go through, I’m sure a peaceful puppy nap was just what you needed!”

“I-” Raph started to speak, but the whine of a puppy cut him off. Smiling a little, Raph picked Penny up, carefully setting the husky on his lap. Penny licked at his chin and cheek before settling down, though she did occasionally try to take a couple licks of his lemonade. “Little troublemaker,” Raph mumbled, scratching behind her ears.

The sun was starting to set now, the sky darkening as the smoke from the grill rose up into it. Excusing himself, Todd went to turn on the sanctuary’s lights, as well as the small radio that sat in one of the window’s of his home. Raph’s smile grew a bit when he recognized the light jazz song that played from it, and closed his eyes as he listened to it.

“If you fall asleep again, I’m gonna have to feed your burger to Penny,” he heard Mikey say.

“‘M awake, ‘m awake,” Raph insisted, “I’m just resting my eyes. And yes, I know that’s what Splinter says too, but I really am just resting my eyes.”

“Heh, whatever you say, man.” Turning his attention back to the grill, Mikey pressed down on the burger and took a deep breath, inhaling its delicious scent. Once the two patties were done, he began carefully constructing the perfect burger for his brother. Melty cheese, crispy lettuce, plenty of ketchup and mustard, and - the Pièce de résistance as far as he was concerned - grilled onions.

By the time he took the plate to the table, Raph was awake and his mouth was practically watering. Yeah, he was DEFINITELY hungry, and it took all his self-control not to just eat the whole thing in one bite. Still, he hummed happily at the delicious, meaty flavor. How the heck did he sleep through lunch when lunch had been THIS good?!

“So, pretty good?” Mikey asked casually. Despite already knowing the answer, he could still appreciate a compliment now and then - and Raph was more than willing to give him one.

“Compliments to the chef,” he told him, holding up a fist - which Mikey quickly bumped.

“Thanks, Raph. ...You think Dad would let us get a grill for the Lair? I know we couldn’t get a charcoal one since we don’t have any windows or anything, but one of those mini grills would probably be alright, right?”

“Mm, hey. You cook him up a burger like this and load it up with cheese, and there’s no way he’d say no!” Raph told him. The two shared another laugh, and Raph continued to eat as the radio switched to a catchy R&B song. In the distance, Todd filled up the puppies’ trough so they could have their supper, and Penny didn’t waste time hopping off Raph’s lap and running towards her meal.

“...So,” Mikey began to say, “When you’re done eating, you think you’d be up for helping me with a sort of mini mission?”

Raph chewed for a moment before swallowing. “That depends. You finally gonna tell me what it is?”

“Just a little mystic cinnamon,” Mikey answered. At his brother’s mild surprise, Mikey explained, “Turns out these woods are full of mystic spices and ingredients and stuff. The cinnamon isn’t very rare, since it grows most of the year and I don’t think there’s any living trees guarding it but, still, could be cool to look for.”

“At night?” Raph questioned, raising an eyebrow, “Uhh, wouldn’t it have been easier to search for it while it was still light out?”

Mikey shrugged, simply replying, “I’m not afraid of the dark. So, you in?”

The snapper thought about it, and smiled. “...You know what? I could use a mini mission. Let’s do it!” Though, a growl from his stomach made his determination falter a bit. “Uhh, you wouldn’t happen to have any chips or-?”

“One more burger, coming up,” Mikey said, taking the plate. Raph thanked him before taking a sip of his lemonade. The ice-cold drink combined with the cool night air sent a slight shiver up his shell and across his scales, but if anything, that just made him even more energized for their little cinnamon hunt.

Mikey took the lead as they walked out of Cuddle Cakes, already having a good idea of where they’d need to go. With his phone acting as a flashlight, Raph walked right behind him, only keeping mild surveillance of their surroundings. So far, he had only seen a couple rabbits and squirrels (and thankfully, no crazy evil dentists).

“You know, these woods really aren’t half bad,” Raph commented, “I mean, I wouldn’t wanna live here all the time, I don’t wanna leave the city or anything like that, but…”

“Yeah,” Mikey nodded, understanding, “It’s a nice break… You know, last time I was out here by myself, you actually helped me.”

Raph blinked. “I did?”

“Yeah! See, I told you about Meatsweats using me to try and get the mystic truffle, right? And the tree guarding it?”

“Yeahhh?”

“Well, it wasn’t just a guardian tree, it was a were-tree! And after I tricked Meatsweats into absorbing its energy, he became a were-chef,” Mikey explained, “And at first I was kinda worried, not really sure what I could do to knock him out, especially when he grew to be like thirty feet tall!”

He then smiled over his shoulder at his red brother. “But then I just thought: What would Raph do? After all, you are our best fighter, and I remembered you going over the weaknesses of certain enemies.” Mikey nearly chuckled - at the time, they had all sort of rolled their eyes at Raph’s ‘lesson’. Even with how crazy their lives were, how often would they have to fight a shark or a vampire or werewolf? But of course, that ended up being just the tip he had needed.

“Wait, you had silver on you in the middle of the woods?” Raph asked.

“Yep, just a small, pure-silver meat tenderizer, courtesy of Rupert Swaggart,” Mikey said, “One hit, and he was down and out! So yeah, thanks for the assist - you and Mind Raph both.”

“Heh, well, come on, I’m sure you would’a figured it out on your own eventually,” Raph told him, rubbing the back of his neck as his heart warmed a little at the idea of being able to help his brothers even when he wasn’t there. “Still… thanks, bro. Glad I could help.” 

Nodding back at him, Mikey moved to give him an appreciation hug when something else caught his attention. “Oh, hey! Look!” He pointed, and Raph followed his brother’s finger with his light.

“What, a bug?”

“No, move the light!” Raph did, and the bug’s personal light immediately became visible. Mikey grinned, carefully cupping his hands around the firefly. Once he let it fly off, he quickly followed it while still keeping an eye open for more.

The woods were getting a bit thicker now - more trees to squeeze past, more sticks to step on and, eventually, more fireflies. They almost reminded Raph of Draxum’s oozesquitos with how brightly they glowed, though their golden light was much more appealing than the eerie green that the oozesquitos usually had. Once enough of them had gathered around them, it was almost like being surrounded by floating candles.

“Whoa…” Raph said quietly, eyes wide. Maybe they weren’t in a completely mystic forest, but the sight was still pretty magical.

“And _this_ is why I like spice hunting at night,” Mikey said. Taking out one of his nunchucks, he carefully swung it in a tight circular motion, being sure not to hit any of the trees or fireflies as he did so. Just like with his kusari fundo, the nunchuck began to glow as it was swung. 

The gentle breeze that came from the action made the leaves of the trees and bushes rustle, and that along with the weapon’s warm light caused even MORE fireflies to appear, flying out from their hiding spots. But, rather than continuing to fly around them, the fireflies began to group up and move towards a single direction. Mikey nodded, putting his nunchuck away, and both he and Raph chased after the cloud of tiny lights.

“How’d you find out about this mystic cinnamon stuff anyway?” Raph asked as they jogged, doing his best not to accidentally trip over any roots.

“Hueso let me borrow a couple scrolls on them!” Mikey replied. After a moment, he added, “Also I maaaay or may not be still following Meatsweats’ cooking blog.”

Raph sighed. “You know, you really shouldn’t be taking cooking advice from that guy. I mean, do you really want to know how to cook mutants like us?”

“He doesn’t just talk about cooking mutants!” Mikey argued, “But alright, I’ll unfollow him. ...Right after you get rid of all your Ghostbear stuff.”

“...Ugh. Point taken.”

_“Thank you.”_

More fireflies gathered in front of them, and eventually they could start to see a bright, amber glow in front of them as the trees began thinning out. They slowed as they entered a patch of fern bushes, their leaves looking like they had been brushed with bronze as their stems glowed just as bright as the fireflies that flew around them.

“Whoaaaa,” the brothers said in unison, crouching down. Mikey brushed his fingers against the stem. Like dust, specks of cinnamon came off it, floating in the air and staining his fingers. Still curious about the actual taste and how it compared to regular cinnamon, Mikey licked his fingers - and his eyes jolted open. “OhmiGOSH!”

“What, spicy?” Raph asked.

“Mm- better than spicy!” he said excitedly, “Like- like a super-sweet super spice! Like- a mini fire in your mouth, but without the actual burning!” He turned to look at Raph. “It’s _amazing!_ It-”

Raph gave a small laugh, making Mikey pause. “Uh, I think I found another thing that makes it mystic.” When Mikey looked confused at that, Raph just pointed at his mouth.

“Hm?” Mikey stuck out his tongue, but couldn’t see any discoloring on it. So what was the big deal? “What are you-?” As soon as he spoke, that’s when he saw it - just as touching the plant had caused a small cinnamon cloud to form underneath his fingertips, a dusty and sparkly bronze cloud came out of his mouth with each word.

“Heh, it’s like you’re breathing pixie dust or something!” Raph chuckled, briefly remembering the times when they were little, when it was cold enough to see their breath and they would run around pretending they could breathe fire until they got sleepy. 

“More like spice breath!” Mikey laughed, letting more cinnamon dust out. Not that he minded, the spice being too delicious for him to be bothered by the mild side effects.

Together, they each gathered up about five or six ferns each, wanting plenty of cinnamon to take back to their home but not wanting to take too much from the fireflies either. But even with their mini mission complete, they continued walking forward instead of turning around, not wanting to leave the tranquil magic and comforting nature of the woods just yet.

Despite being ninjas, it wasn’t often they got to be in a place so dark. As such, it was getting harder and harder for Raph to look away from the starry sky above. Even with the occasional branch and treetop sometimes getting in the way, he had to admit that it was a pretty beautiful view. When Mikey suggested they stop and rest for a while, not wanting to go too far from the puppy sanctuary and risk getting lost, Raph was able to appreciate the sight even more.

Hundreds, maybe even thousands of bright and tiny stars, all a million miles away… If Jupiter Jim movies had taught him anything, it was that space - heck, the universe itself - was a big place. Really big, bigger than him… But funny enough, that didn’t bother Raph. 

Sure, he liked being “the one who is the biggest”, but that didn’t mean that he didn't like feeling small sometimes - because that usually meant his problems and worries and fears felt a bit smaller too. 

The Shredder had come and gone. The fate of their whole world had been on them, and they had all risen to the challenge together. The cities they called home, both above and below, were still standing. The world was still spinning, trees were still growing, the sky and the sun and stars still hanging in there - and even through the remaining rough spots and the struggles and challenges that he and his family would still have to face, he knew now more than ever that things would be okay. They were _safe_ , and things were good. Really good.

A slight sniffle caught Mikey’s attention. “Raph? You alright, bro?” he asked gently, glancing down from the branch that he was sprawled out on.

Raph smiled back at him, taking a moment to wipe his eyes. “Yeah, man. I’m good,” he nodded, and he truly meant that.

“Heh, glad to hear it, Raph,” Mikey nodded.

“Yeah. And, hey, thanks for draggin’ me out here. It was... a nice change of perspective,” Raph told him, “And let me guess, ‘doc’, you knew that was gonna happen too, right?”

“Actually, I just thought you could use a break that involved fresh air with nice open spaces, a fun chill mission to go on, and cute puppies,” Mikey admitted honestly, “I mean, you didn’t even get to enjoy playing with the puppies last time we were here, and you LOVE cute animals! How was that fair? But, hey, glad you got to feel some inner peace stuff as a bonus.”

Raph chuckled. “Yeah,” he said as he looked back up at the stars, “I’m definitely enjoying that peace…”

It was around midnight by the time they finally got back, and with a nest of blankets and pillows already set up for the two turtles, it didn’t take long for them to crash. Of course, within seconds, they were covered in puppies wanting to snuggle and sleep alongside them. 

Needless to say, it was the best sleep Raph had gotten in at least a week, even better than his impromptu nap earlier that day.

They awoke with the sun several hours later, and while the idea of heading back to their lair(s) and continuing Operation: Move didn’t seem too daunting, Raph also didn’t try to rush their departure. Instead he helped Todd with the puppies’ morning routines while Mikey took his time making the perfect batches of homemade mystic cinnamon rolls.

Fur was combed, hungry mouths were fed and watered (and flossed, in the case of Sir Chomps-a-Lot), the occasional ball or toy was tossed for the pups who were a bit more awake, and by the time the sun had fully risen above the treetops, breakfast was served.

They did have to pick up their pace a little as they ate, still wanting to get out on the road before too many humans could join them, but that didn’t stop Raph from stopping just before they could leave when a certain puppy’s whine caught his attention.

Crouching down, he tied his mask onto the persistent husky’s collar, turning it into a cute little red bow. “You’re lucky I still got a few of these things at home,” Raph told her, as he petted her. Penny licked his cheek, and he pulled her into a gentle hug, silently promising to visit again soon.

“Let me know when the housewarming party is!” Todd shouted as he waved them off, “I’ll bring lemon squares and housewarming candles!”

The brothers waved back as they drove away, the leftover cinnamon rolls meant for their family tucked away safely in the Shell Hog’s storage compartment. “Heh, we’re counting on it, bud!” “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Todd!”

Just like the day before, the open road was both a relaxing and an exhilarating sight for Raph. He was more than ready to get home and get started on Operation: Move again - not because he felt like he had to in order to help his family, or because he was aching for a bit of normalcy and wanting to get there as soon as possible, but simply because he was ready to start moving forward again. Their world was still spinning, after all, and Raph didn’t want to waste a second.

That being said, he would definitely be keeping breaks in mind - especially if all of them felt this nice.

**THE END**


End file.
